wordingham



C. H. ,WO'RDINGHAM DISCONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SUPPLY CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I2, IBIS.

Patented May 20, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I Num ATTORNEY C. H. WOR'DINGHAM.

DISCONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SUPPLY CIRCUITS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. Ig, me.

1,304,236. Patented May 20, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Figi.

III

IN V E NTOR Y fr. Wording/244k BY A? AT IORNEY C. H. WORDINGHAM.

DISCONNECTING EVICE FOR ELECTRIC SUPPLY CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FAILED AUG.12. i918.

Patnted Bday'20,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'CHARLES HENRY wonninaHAM',y '0F REDHILL, ENGLAND.

DISCONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SUPPLY-CIRCUITS.

Speciica'tion of yLetters Patent.

Patented May 20, 1919.

Application filed August 12, 1918. `Serial No. 249,574.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HENRX WORDINGHAM, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of.

Beechgrove Ridgeway Road, Redhill, in the county of urrey, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Disconnecting Devices for Electric Supply-Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has forits object to pro-y vide an improved cut-out or disconnecting means for isolating sections of electric dis.-

tribution systems, either automatically, as in the case of flooding, fire, or excessive overload, or under manual control.

My invention comprises the provision in the mains of each circuit to be isolated, of rupturable conductors, and the combination therewith of means brought into action by auxiliary circuits (closed for example by hand, by a ilood switch, a thermostat, or by an overload relay) for destroying or brealing the said conductors.

My invention further comprises the' arrangementvof the rupturable conductors in the form of tubes'or cylinders, with which are provided detonators or the like for the rapid eneration of a sutlicient gas pressure within the tubes or cylinders to effect their destruction on the closing of the aux-` iliary circuits.

My invention further comprises the details of construction hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying explanatory drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 an elevation of a cut-out or disconnecting device constructionin one convenient form in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan View on the line A-*B ofrFig. 1.y

Figs. l and 5 are inafter referred toi. f

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show diagrammatically arrangements for closing the auxiliary circuits by a flood switch, an overload relay and by a thermostat respectively.

The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same or similar parts.

In the illustrated example, the cut-out or disconnecting device comprises a carbon tube or cylinder a inserted in the main and held and connected by flexible or spring clips b at each end, the device being inclosed vIt of insulating material.

detail views to be herewithin a suitable casing o which may be lined with alternate insulating and metal yrings d as shown for damping the arc formed on rupture of the cylinder a. One of the cut-outs is provided for each pole of each circuit which it may be desired to isolate, the complete electrical arrangements being shown vdiagrammatically and as examples in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. At the lower end of the tube or cylinder is a metal carrier c 'containing two detonators f with which electrical contact is made by spring pressed plungers g. The latter are carried in a holder The wires t' of the auxiliary circuit contact with the termi nals j in the member h, and so are in electrical connection with the spring pressed plungers g, while the return wire is is in electrical contact with the detonator carrier e by way of the stud 7s and terminal j.

n Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view showing the three terminals y', j, j 'while Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the plungers g and the end of the return stud c, which is attached to a metal plate 7a2 carried by 7L and in electrical connection with the detonator carrier e.

With the arrangement illustrated, if the cap Z be loosened, and likewise the connection of the cable fm, to the plug box n, then the detonator carrier e, and the member h can be withdrawn in one piece. The length of the cable. m is suclrthat the auxiliary circuit Imust be broken by disconnecting the lcable from the plug box a before the detonators can be withdrawn from positions for examination -or renewal purposes.

The detonator carrier ve is supported within the insulated lining of a cylinder-like member p clamped within the clip g forming part of the cable socket as shown. One part of said clip is supported in but insulated from the skirt liner t in the lower part of the casing c by grips fr' (see Fig. 3).

I ,preferablyprovide lfilling means, such as the blocks s supported within the tube or cylinder a, for reducing the volume to be occupied by the gas on the firing of the detonators f.

It will be understood that I may employ only one detonator for generating the necessary gas pressure within each tube or cylinder a, but I prefer to employ two detonators as an additional safeguard in securing certainty of action.

' The casing c in the illustrated example sented diagrammatically acts in the mannerof a diving bell topprofl tect the live terminal within it from contact with water should the disconnecting device be immersed when the rupturable conductor has been destroyed.

The auxiliary circuit onators f may be closed by hand, by a ood switch (which may be in the form of a rising and falling iioat carrying or operatingvv electrical contacts, or of terminals which become immersed in the iiooding water),`

by a thermostat or in by an .overload relay, any other convenient manner.

In the arrangement illustrated diagramy matic-ally at Fig 6, the auxiliary circuit for firing the detonators isclosed by the Hood.- ing water in case the compartment or area served by the branch supplied through the cut-out or disconnecting device becomes floodechthe Said floodingwater completing the circuit between terminals i', cw in one compartment of the flood switch and 792, 2 and co2 in the other compartment. I do not limit myself to any particular construction of the Hood switch.

In the diagram, Fig. 7, the auxiliary circuitv containing the-detonators f is shown as being closed by an overload relay, repreat u: while in F 1g. 8, a thermostat o performs a similar function. The auxiliary circuit. may be lclosed.

obtained from the main above or on thesupply 'side of the .frangible cylinder a and is taken by an armored cable V to the plug box n. The multi-core cable YV contains the supply cable connection and also the connections between the terminals j, j, .7" and the operating device, (see Fig. '7). The current for the auxiliary circuit may be obtained from above or below the rupturable cylinder or from an independent' source. f

I do not limit myself to the details of containing ltheV dety l the cut-out or disconnecting device, but may modify the same to suit requirements.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and de ire tosecure byLetters Patent is l 1.*An electric vdisconnecting device consisting of a rupturable tubular conductor ar-V ranged in the supply main, with means for generating a sufficient gas pressure within said conductor to shatter and destroy the same, as set forth.

2. An electric disconnecting device consisting of .a rupturable tubular Vconductor arranged in the supply main, means for generating a suficient gas pressure within said conductor to shatter and destroy the same, an auxiliary electrical circuit containing said gasrgenera-ting means, and` means for closing saidv auxiliary circuit, as set forth.

3. An electric disconnecting device consisting of al rupturable tubular conductor arranged in the supply main, detonating `means for generatingia sufficient gas pressure within said conductor to shatter and destroyV the same, an lauxiliary circuit containing said detonating means, and a :Hood switch for closing said auxiliary circuit, as set forth.4 f

4. Anelectric disconnecting device con- .sisting of a rupturable conductor arranged in the supply main, means for generating a suiicient gas pressure within said conductor to shatter and destroy the same and a diving bell inclosing the disconnecting mea-ns,

as set forth.

5. An electric disconnecting device consisting of a rupturable conductor arranged in the supply main, a diving bell inclosing the disconnecting means, means for generatgas pressure within said ing asuficient conductorl to shatter and destroy the same, means forming `a the said gas generating complete detachable unit, a flood `switch fory bringing the gas generating means into action, the said switch comprising electrical terminals between which electrical continuity is established `by flooding water, as set forth. y

In testimony whereof I have signed rmy name to this specification.`

CHARLESHENRY WORDINGHAM. A

Copies of this patent may be obtained for :live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of PatentsA Washington, D. G. 

